A Remote Sensing Approach to Create a 35 Year Time Series of the Hydrology of Perched Basins in the Peace-Athabasca Delta

A comprehensive 35-year time series of hydrological changes in the Peace-Athabasca Delta (PAD) within Wood Buffalo National Park reveals dynamic inter-seasonal and inter-annual variations in surface water patterns. Using optical and radar imagery from 1984 to 2020, researchers classified thousands of perched basins into hydrological categories—connected, semi-connected, or isolated—and assigned wetland habitat classes. This remote sensing approach provides critical insights for ecological monitoring, supporting the Wood Buffalo Action Plan's Science and Monitoring Theme. The findings underscore the delta's vulnerability to industrial threats beyond park boundaries, emphasizing the need for integrated research and public education tools like interactive maps that combine scientific data with Indigenous knowledge.

Zorn, P. (2020). A REMOTE SENSING APPROACH TO CREATE A 35 YEAR TIME SERIES OF THE HYDROLOGY OF PERCHED BASINS IN THE PEACE-ATHABASCA DELTA. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. https://doi.org/10.1130/abs/2020am-354809